Lazoschmidl has regularly toyed with the idea of nudity and sport, and sent out models in various states of undress for their latest Paris Men’s Fashion Week show.
For a clothing line, some of the items have little actual fabric — Speedo-style briefs in floral prints or orange emblazoned with the word “appetit.”
The design duo of Stockholm-based Josef Lazo and Frankfurt-based Andreas Schmidl teased by pulling from sport codes. Tight wrestling singlets, leopard print and mesh running tights, and the aforementioned Speedos were all on show. The tie-waist style of sport uniforms was adapted to slim cotton pants and the singlet influenced overalls in purple PVC. The collection is not for wallflowers.
Their queer expression is daring and the colors pop to create a buoyant energy. They work in an unusual way: Schmidl, with a literature background, handwrites his ideas for pieces, and Lazo interprets them into design. For the first time, they used AI to create their prints, which resulted in designs that resembled vintage advertisements. The duo said it was eerie how the AI created what they wanted before they knew they wanted it — a reverse kind of desire in our brave new world.
Singlets have been a signature piece for the 10-year-old brand, returning after a brief hiatus after the brand moved its knitwear production from China to Italy. The company has a strong online sales channel and has found steady client base, the duo said.